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Leaving Opua, we received a fine sendoff wave from the rest of the Canadian Contingent.

Here's dinner, raw, at Minerva Reef.

This lobster is fighting back. Poor Peter!

We departed Minerva on Barb's 40th Birthday. Her nieces made this handy shark-identification bag for her!

Several booby birds wanted desperately to land on the top of our mast, and circled Freya for half an hour. This one's shadow landed on our sail.

Hawai'i loves its Spam. Tonga loves its corned beef, and has a shelf-full of varieties.

We spectated a colourful dance at the Cultural Centre. The men move their bodies energetically, while the women weave intricate patterns with their hands.

Canadian-funded projects like this crafts cooperative and water storage facilities are well-regarded because they encourage self-sufficiency.

Many N. American houseplants grow larger in their native climate, like the poinsettias in front of this house.

We spotted a flock of Fruitbats, hanging from ironwood trees. While rather large, they only eat fruit and the locals don't seem to mind them.

Many spiders hung from one section of telephone line. We were told that the silk of this species is gathered and used for covering burn wounds. (It wasn't clear if this was research or an established use.)

Some pigs have figured out that at low tide there's clams to be had in the mud. Maybe they smell like truffels...

Cemetaries here are much more colourful than in Canada. Flowers, real and plastic, adorn the graves. Some even have large quilts hung beside them.

The Ha'amonga, or Trilithon, was built around 1200 A.D. The alignment of the stones and notches in them create a solar calendar that shows the equinoxes and solstices.

The cracked coral at a few spots along the coast makes excellent blowholes when the surf rolls in.